Material delivery support device for boom and method of use

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a support device and method that permits an overweighted, fillable tubular delivery system to be attached to extendable boom structure consistent with the load capacity thereof. More specifically, the present invention pertains to the use of a boom-attached support device and method for supporting a tubular delivery system on a concrete pumping unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Presently, mobile concrete pumping vehicles and stationary concrete pumping units are available that include a multi-section, rotatable boom arm that is folded into a compact condition during transport and storage. Once the pumping unit is positioned at the work site, the folded boom arm is extended to supply concrete to a remote location. Typically, the boom arm includes a steel boom pipe made up of multiple sections that are supported by the boom arm such that a concrete can be supplied to a remote location on the work site. The boom arm has a cross-sectional area that decreases in size as it extends further away from its center of rotation. The boom arm is designed with a maximum weight-carrying capacity that includes concrete in the boom pipe plus a factor of safety that takes into account dynamics, wind loading, etc. The weight-carrying capacity also takes into consideration the maximum weight that can be suspended from an outermost or tip section of the boom arm in the form of an end hose or “elephant trunk” filled with concrete. The load imposed by the filled end hose is typically between 200 and 400 pounds. Such boom arms are designed for general pumping applications and normally perform well in such capacity.

However, in some applications, it is deemed necessary by the user to hang tubular delivery systems that are heavier and longer than the normally used boom tip section weight. Because the tip section has the weakest cross-section and is holding weight a high moment distance from the center of rotation, the tip section is often removed and the tubular delivery system is then hung from the preceding boom arm section. In general, this has been done by the user without the manufacturer's approval in an improvised manner. If the boom arm design, pipeline support and pipeline coupling designs are not well understood by the modifying user, this can create serious loading problems that can damage the boom arm.

For example, a standard boom arm design may use an end hose that is 5 inches in diameter and 10 feet long. Removing the boom tip section and replacing the standard 10 feet end hose with a 3 foot long, 5 inch to 4 inch steel reducer pipe and 80 feet of 4 inch diameter pipe could seriously compromise the integrity of the boom arm during operation. A particular problem may occur if the boom operator causes contact of the 80 foot pipe with a local structure or by hitting the sidewall of a hole into which the filled pipe is inserted. This creates a side load on the boom arm that could slew the boom sideways in a precarious manner.

Therefore, there is a need to provide a support device that replaces the tip section of a standard boom arm and allows the boom arm to support an overweighted or oversized tubular delivery system other than the standard delivery hose. Further, there is a need to provide a support device for a tubular delivery system on the end of a boom arm in a manner which will preserve the integrity of the boom arm during any operational movement thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a material delivery support device for supporting a tubular delivery system from an outermost end of an extendable boom arm. The material delivery support device includes a rigid support arrangement having an upper rigid portion attached to the outermost end of the boom arm, and a lower rigid portion secured to the tubular material delivery system below the upper rigid portion. A flexible support assembly extends between the upper and lower rigid portions and surrounds the tubular material delivery system. The tubular material delivery system is substantially supported from the upper rigid portion of the rigid support arrangement.

The upper rigid portion includes a rigid support member having an upper end attached to and extending downwardly from the outermost end of the boom arm, and a lower end secured to an upper support plate. The upper support plate is provided with a series of spaced apart support rings. The lower rigid portion includes a lower support plate spaced from and aligned with the upper support plate. A plurality of spaced apart connectors join the tubular delivery system to the lower support plate. The flexible support assembly includes a series of cables having upper ends secured to the support rings on the upper support plate, and lower threaded ends attached by nuts to the lower support plate.

The tubular delivery system includes a pipe elbow having one end connected to a boom pipe in communication with a source of material, and another end joined to an upper end of a transition hose. The transition hose passes through the upper support plate and terminates in a lower end attached to a reducer pipe that extends through the lower support plate. The boom pipe is supported by a first tubular support extending laterally from the outermost end of the boom arm. The pipe elbow is supported by a second tubular support extending forwardly from the first tubular support, and a third tubular support extending laterally from the support member. The reducer pipe includes an upper pipe coupled to a lower pipe. The upper pipe has a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the lower pipe. The upper pipe has a length which is shorter than a length of the lower pipe.

The invention also relates to a concrete pumping and delivery unit that has an extendable boom arm constructed with a plurality of foldable sections that extend along a center axis and is provided with a boom pipe carrying a supply of concrete stored on the unit. A tubular concrete delivery system is coupled to the boom pipe. A concrete delivery support device is attached to an outermost end of the boom arm for supporting the tubular concrete delivery system therefrom. The support device includes a rigid support member depending from the outermost end of the boom arm and having a first support plate attached thereto. A set of cables extends downwardly from the first support plate. A second support plate is spaced beneath the first support plate and is joined to the set of cables and the tubular concrete delivery system.

The tubular concrete delivery system passes through the first and second support plates and is generally aligned along the center axis of the boom arm. A portion of the tubular concrete delivery system is surrounded by the set of cables. The tubular concrete delivery system includes a pipe elbow connected to the boom pipe, a transition hose joined to the pipe elbow and a reducer pipe coupled to the transition hose. The reducer pipe has a length substantially longer than a length of the transition hose. The pipe elbow is further supported by tubular supports extending from the boom arm and the rigid support member.

The invention further contemplates a method of supporting an oversized tubular delivery system from an outermost section of an extendable boom arm constructed with a plurality of foldable sections and provided with a boom pipe carrying a supply of material and a standard delivery hose depending from the boom pipe. The method includes the steps of a) removing the outermost section of the boom arm and the standard delivery hose; and b) providing a rigid support member having an upper end connected to a new outermost end of the boom arm and a lower end provided with a first support plate, a set of cables extending downwardly from the first support plate and a second support plate spaced from the first support plate and secured to the set of cables such that the tubular delivery system is coupled to the lower pipe, passes through the first and second support plates and is joined to the second support plate. The method further includes the step of further supporting an upper portion of the tubular delivery system from the boom arm and the support member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a side view of a mobile concrete pumping vehicle having an extendable boom arm in a folded condition;

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is an end view of a prior art concrete pumping vehicle shown with its boom arm extended and a concrete delivery hose suspended directly from a distal end thereof;

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a view similar to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> showing a concrete delivery support device attached to the distal end of the shortened boom arm in accordance with the present invention;

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the concrete delivery support device of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>; and

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> is a view of the concrete delivery support device taken on line <b>5</b>-<b>5</b> of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref>.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> illustrates a mobile concrete pumping vehicle <b>10</b> that includes an extendable boom arm <b>12</b> having a plurality of independent sections that can be raised, unfolded and extended such as by hydraulic cylinders <b>14</b>. The boom arm <b>12</b> also has a mounting block <b>16</b> that is rotatably secured to a substructure <b>18</b> of the vehicle <b>10</b> so that the boom arm <b>12</b> is rotatable about a vertical axis. Each of the sections of the boom arm <b>12</b> supports a portion of a boom pipe <b>20</b> to provide a continuous path (shown in dotted lines) for pumped concrete to flow from a storage hopper <b>22</b> to an outermost tip of the boom arm <b>12</b>. The vehicle <b>10</b> is provided with extendable outriggers <b>24</b> for stabilizing the vehicle during a pumping operation.

<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> shows a known prior art concrete pumping vehicle <b>10</b> with its outriggers <b>24</b> supportably engaged upon a ground surface <b>26</b> and its boom arm <b>12</b> unfolded and extended. In the example illustrated, the boom arm <b>12</b> has an innermost section <b>28</b>, intermediate sections <b>30</b>, <b>32</b>, <b>34</b> and an outermost or tip section <b>36</b>. A rubber hose or “elephant trunk” <b>38</b> typically 10 feet in length, is suspended from the outer end of the tip section <b>36</b>, and is in communication with the boom pipe <b>20</b> so that concrete can be delivered from the lower end of the hose <b>38</b>. As is well known, the boom pipe <b>20</b> is composed of a number of individual pipe segments joined to each other by a movable joint such that the boom arm <b>12</b> can be extended without interrupting the flow path for the concrete through the joined pipe sections and the hose <b>38</b>.

As should be understood from the Background of the Invention, typical prior art concrete pumping vehicles <b>10</b> are designed with boom arms <b>12</b> having a maximum suggested weight-carrying capacity that takes into account the concrete in the boom pipe <b>20</b> and a maximum weight of the concrete filled hose <b>38</b> suspended from the tip section <b>36</b>. However, in some applications, customers will proceed to have alternative concrete delivery systems that are heavier than the suggested maximum capacity for the boom arm. Because the boom tip section <b>36</b> has the weakest cross-section and is holding weight at a high moment distance from the rotational axis of the boom arm <b>12</b>, the tip section <b>36</b> is often removed and replaced with an overweighted and oversized delivery system hung from the end of the preceding boom arm section <b>34</b>. While this can satisfy the needs of the customer for the desired application, such modification can create serious overloading on the boom arm, pipeline supports and pipeline couplings. In accordance with the present invention, a concrete delivery support device <b>40</b> is provided on a shortened boom arm <b>12</b> in a manner that will more properly support an overweighted concrete delivery system other than a standard concrete delivery hose <b>38</b>.

Referring to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, thereshown is the concrete pumping vehicle <b>10</b> having boom arm outermost section <b>36</b> and its hydraulic cylinder assembly removed so that section <b>34</b> becomes the tip section. The last remaining section <b>34</b> has an outer end <b>42</b> where the concrete delivery support device <b>40</b> is attached. The concrete delivery support device <b>40</b> is designed to be dependent from the outer end <b>42</b> of tip section <b>34</b>. Boom pipe <b>20</b> includes a segment <b>20</b><i>a </i>running along boom section <b>28</b>, a segment <b>20</b><i>b </i>running along boom section <b>30</b>, a segment <b>20</b><i>c </i>running along boom section <b>32</b> and a segment <b>20</b><i>d </i>running along boom tip section <b>34</b>.

Although the present invention is shown in the figures as being particularly desirable for use with a mobile concrete pumping vehicle, it should be understood that the concrete delivery support device is also desirable when used with other types of concrete pumping units. For example, concrete pumping units are currently available that include an extendable boom arm where the entire pumping unit is mounted on top of a stationary mast. The boom arm is extendable from a base such that the concrete can be delivered to a remote location at a work site. A stationary mast mounted unit is particularly useful in constructing multiple floor buildings. It should also be understood that the support device <b>40</b> may also be used in connection with tubular delivery of materials from a boom arm other than concrete.

Referring now to <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 4 and 5</figref>, the delivery support device <b>40</b> includes a rigid support member or weldment <b>44</b> having a pair of spaced apart sidewalls <b>46</b>, <b>48</b>, a front wall <b>50</b>, and a rear wall <b>52</b>. Upper ends of the sidewalls <b>46</b>, <b>48</b> are constructed with reinforcing plates (one being shown at <b>54</b>) and together are attached to bifurcated portions <b>56</b>, <b>58</b> at the outermost end <b>42</b> of boom tip section <b>34</b> by pins <b>60</b>. Weldment <b>44</b> replicates a portion of a boom section for strength and connects at an existing pivot point. A lower end of the weldment <b>44</b> is fixed, such as by welding, to an upper surface of a first flat support plate <b>62</b> which is formed with an opening <b>64</b>. The rigid support member <b>44</b> and the support plate <b>62</b> combine to form a rigid support arrangement <b>65</b>. An underside of the support plate <b>62</b> is provided with a series of four spaced apart rings <b>66</b>, each of which is permanently held in place by a retainer <b>68</b>.

Each ring <b>66</b> serves as an anchor point for a steel support cable <b>70</b> that extends downwardly away from the support plate <b>62</b>. Each support cable <b>70</b> has a top end with a sleeve <b>72</b> and a U-shaped bracket <b>74</b> that is retained on the ring <b>66</b> by a fastener <b>76</b>. A bottom end of each support cable <b>70</b> has a further sleeve <b>78</b> with a lower threaded end that is passed through an aperture formed in a corner of a second flat support plate <b>80</b> having a central recess <b>82</b>. A nut <b>84</b> is provided on the threaded lower end of each support cable <b>70</b>, and is turned tight against the underside of support plate <b>80</b>. The steel cables <b>70</b> define a flexible support assembly that extends between the rigid support arrangement <b>65</b> formed by the weldment <b>44</b> and support plate <b>62</b> and the lower attachment portion <b>79</b> including support plate <b>80</b>. Support plates <b>62</b> and <b>80</b> are generally in alignment with each other.

Boom pipe segment <b>16</b><i>d </i>is held spaced from the boom tip section <b>34</b> by a first tubular support <b>86</b> that extends laterally and downwardly between the tip section <b>34</b> and a band <b>88</b> attached to segment <b>16</b><i>d</i>. A pipe elbow <b>90</b> is secured to an outer end of the boom pipe segment <b>16</b><i>d </i>by a first releasable clamp <b>92</b>. A second releasable clamp <b>94</b> encircles a mid-portion of the pipe elbow <b>90</b>. The clamp <b>94</b>, in turn, is connected to a rectangular bracket <b>96</b> and a second tubular support <b>98</b> which extends forwardly from tubular support <b>86</b> as seen best in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>. A lower end of pipe elbow <b>90</b> is coupled to an upper end of a transition hose <b>100</b> by a third releasable clamp <b>102</b>. The clamp <b>102</b> is fixed to a rectangular bracket <b>104</b> at an outer end of a short tubular support <b>106</b> that extends from the plate <b>54</b> and weldment <b>44</b>. Tubular elements <b>86</b>, <b>98</b>, <b>106</b>, band <b>88</b>, clamps <b>92</b>, <b>94</b>, <b>102</b> and brackets <b>96</b>, <b>104</b> provide upper support for the boom pipe segment <b>16</b><i>d</i>, the pipe elbow <b>90</b> and the hose <b>100</b>.

The transition hose <b>100</b> is configured to extend downwardly at an angle and through opening <b>64</b> in first support plate <b>62</b>. A lower end of the transition hose <b>100</b> is aligned along a center axis <b>120</b> of the boom arm and is joined to a steel reducer pipe <b>108</b> by a fourth releasable clamp <b>110</b>. The reducer pipe <b>108</b> includes an upper pipe <b>112</b> joined by a fifth releasable clamp <b>114</b> to a lower pipe <b>116</b> which passes through central recess <b>82</b> in lower support plate <b>80</b>. Typically, the upper pipe <b>112</b> has a larger diameter (e.g. 5 inches) than lower pipe <b>116</b> (e.g. 4 inches), as well as a shorter length than a lower pipe <b>116</b>. A top end of lower pipe <b>116</b> is rigidly fixed to the underside of support plate <b>80</b> by a series of four vane-like connectors <b>118</b>. A bottom end of the lower pipe <b>116</b> (which may vary in length) serves as an outlet for concrete delivered from hopper <b>22</b> through boom pipe <b>16</b>, pipe elbow <b>90</b>, transition hose <b>100</b> and reducer pipe <b>108</b>, which collectively define a tubular delivery system. The lower end of the transition hose <b>100</b>, the upper pipe <b>112</b> and the upper portion of the lower pipe <b>116</b> are surrounded by the support cables <b>70</b> extending between upper and lower support plate <b>62</b>, <b>80</b>, respectively.

As can be seen in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>, the support device <b>40</b> is generally centered along the center axis <b>120</b>. The center axis <b>120</b> forms the center axis of both the support device <b>40</b> and each section of the extendable boom arm, such as the boom arm section <b>34</b> shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>. Thus, the entire support device <b>40</b> and the portion of the tubular delivery system downstream from the transition hose <b>100</b> are aligned along the center axis <b>120</b> of the extendable boom arm. As can be seen in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>, the support device, and specifically the rigid support arrangement <b>65</b> including the weldment <b>44</b>, positions the reducer pipe <b>108</b> and the entire tubular delivery system, such as the upper pipe <b>112</b> and the lower pipe <b>116</b>, along the same center axis <b>120</b>. Thus, the weight of the concrete material being delivered through the tubular material delivery system supported by the extendable boom arm is generally centered along the center axis <b>120</b> of the extendable boom arm. The construction of the support device <b>40</b> to position the weight of the concrete being pumped and the tubular delivery system attached to the boom arm along the center axis <b>120</b> balances the forces, which optimizes the flow of forces and avoids twisting.

From the construction set forth above, it should be appreciated that the collective weight of the concrete or material filled tubular delivery system is primarily supported by the upper rigid support plate <b>62</b> on weldment <b>44</b> because of the interconnection with the cables <b>70</b>, lower support plate <b>82</b> and lower pipe <b>116</b>. Conversely, the collective weight is not primarily supported by the reducer pipe <b>108</b>, transition hose <b>100</b> or any pipeline system supports or clamp connectors.

In using the support device <b>40</b> with an overweighted load, a user removes the originally provided tip section <b>36</b>, and removes the hydraulic cylinder assembly that provides articulation thereof. Removal of this hydraulic cylinder assembly enables weight reduction, provides for freedom of movement while the removal of the tip section <b>36</b> presents a clean attachment point at the outer end of the preceding boom arm <b>34</b> for an extension in the form of weldment <b>44</b>. Weldment <b>44</b> is conveniently attached to existing structure at the outer end <b>42</b> of tip section <b>34</b>. The support device <b>40</b> enables the lower pipe <b>116</b> to have an extended length of up to about 80 feet filled with concrete or other material without compromising the boom arm integrity. The hanging steel cables <b>70</b> will also provide an added measure of freedom of movement as side loads would not be imparted into the boom by accidental contact with any local structure. The flexible support assembly provided by the cables <b>70</b> would, for example, prevent slewing of the boom should the lower material filled pipe <b>116</b> hit the sidewalls of a hole into which the lower pipe <b>116</b> is inserted.

While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain substitutions, alterations and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. Accordingly, the foregoing description is meant to be exemplary only and should not be deemed limitative on the scope of the invention set forth with the following claims.